Looking Ahead

It's been a while since I've posted.  For those of you who asked, yes, I am still writing, and yes, I would love to write the third Bandia book, but my focus has to be on new stories for the immediate future.  It doesn't help that I was set back by severe carpal tunnel last year.  I'm all better now, re-energized and back into a writing groove.   The great thing about being laid up, was that it gave me lots of time to dream up new characters and plots.

If you're interested in writing craft and publishing, don't forget to check out YA Muses which has years of archived posts by me and the other Muses on all aspects of novel writing and publication. 

Lastly, if you know of any schools or library within 3 hours of driving from Sacramento, CA who would be interested in doing a book event, I am offering 100 signed copies of SPIES & PREJUDICE to the first 10 middle schools or high schools that bring me in. 

Updates!

Huckleberry aka "Lulu"

A few updates:

1.  For those of you who have asked, there are no current plans for a third BANDIA book, but I would love to write one.  It's just a matter of finding time with other projects that I'm working on. 

2.  I am working on other novels, but nothing I can talk about yet. There is one, in particular, that I'm dying to share...

3.  We lost our beloved Saint Bernard Huckleberry to Addison's Disease last year.  He was the inspiration for Lulu in SPIES AND PREJUDICE, and he passed away just before the book came out.  He was only four, and we will always miss him.

4.  We rescued a six year old Saint Bernard in January.  Ninja is giant and a little quirky.  He will protect his food from robins and bullfrogs by barking like crazy, but he had no reaction to a rattlesnake in the living room- as long as it stayed away from his bowl, he was cool. I, on the other hand, screamed and flailed and generally panicked until the snake wrangler arrived and took the snake away.  The snake retreated to a corner and from what I can tell, napped.

Ninja on guard

5.   I've gotten the opportunity to meet so many bloggers and readers and fellow book lovers.  Reading and writing can be so solitary, but sharing stories with you is amazing!



Hope your year is full of happiness and books!

Spies and Prejudice Launch Party

You are invited to celebrate the official launch of Spies and Prejudice with me at the Avid Reader in Davis, CA on Saturday, June 22nd at 4:00 p.m.

There will be cake!

There will be prizes!

There will be readings!

And lots of general merriment.

The best part is that this will be a co-launch, along with my friend Katherine Longshore's beautiful book, Tarnish, which is released on Tuesday. It's about a teen Anne Boleyn, newly arrived at the Tudor Court, a girl who wants to be heard, wants to fit in, and wants the freedom to make her own choices.  You can't read this book without falling in love with Anne, and wishing that her life had turned out differently.  It's heartbreaking, but also a wonderfully romantic and uplifting look at a girl who would change history.

The SPIES AND PREJUDICE BLOG TOUR

Thanks to Rock Star Blog Tours for sponsoring the tour for Spies and Prejudice.  It runs from June 4-17, and includes stops at some of my favorite blogs!

6/4/2013              YA Sisterhood- Review

6/5/2013              Page Turners Blog- Review

6/6/2013             The Review News- Guest Post (Research for Spies)

6/7/2013              Two Chicks On Books- Guest Post (The Spies Playlist)

6/8/2013              What The Cat Read- Guest Post (Favorite Jane Austen Adaptations)

6/9/2013              I'm a Bookshark- Guest Post (Dream Cast)

6/10/2013            Debbie's World Of Books- Guest Post (Things a Spy Girl Needs)

6/11/2013            Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Guest Post (Characters from P&P)

6/12/2013            Ravenous Reader- Guest Post (My favorite scenes)

6/13/2013            Taters Tall Tales- Guest Post (My favorite quotes)

6/14/2013            Fiktshun- Guest Post (Scene from Tanner's POV)

6/17/2013            Lit Explorer- Guest Post (My Interview with Berry Fields)

Back Cover Copy for Gold

On the heels of the cover, I just got a peek at the cover copy for Gold!   I finally get to tell you that Austin features very prominently in this story.  Don't worry, Blake is back too, and his love for Brianna will be tested in ways that neither of them ever imagined. Plus, it's set in Ireland, and there's time travel, and just, gah, I want to tell you everything, but I can't, so here's the summary:

Descended from an Irish demigod, Brianna has fled to Ireland to escape destruction at the hands of her sworn enemies, the Sons of Killian. Taking refuge at the estate of her former nemesis, Austin Montgomery, Brianna discovers a rift in time that opens to an era before the feud began.

Wrestling with her newfound feelings for the more innocent Austin, Brianna begins to wonder if she can alter the past. But when Brianna and Austin learn that the Sons are raising an army of mythical beasts, the pair will need to use their magical strength in the present to avoid a tragic end.

Cover for GOLD!!

So in case you haven't seen it yet- the cover for GOLD was released this week.

It turned out even better than I imagined it would when I saw the mock-up a few months ago.  Not only does it compliment the cover for SILVER, it fits with the story in so many ways.  The setting is an actual location from the book, and looks exactly as I imagined it. Off in the distance, you can see the ruins of an old castle on the bluff, another feature that figures strongly in the book.  And I love the way Brianna is so much brighter and colorful, a fitting distinction from her near invisibility in SILVER.

And it looks so pretty next to SILVER:

Upcoming Appearances and Blog Tour Info

So, try as I might to hold those finished copies tight, it seems that Silver shipped early to retailers, and in some places Silver is already available.  Three weeks early!  Needless to say, I am not at all prepared.  I do have some fun events coming up in the next few months that I wanted to share in case you get a chance to check them out.

APPEARANCES:

August 26, 2012 4:00 p.m.  Litquake, Palo Alto, CA

Appearing at Litquake with a panel of Young Adult authors including Katherine Longshore (GILT), Corrine Jackson (IF I LIE) and Veronica Rossi (UNDER THE NEVER SKY). We will be discussing our books and publication journey, and doing a signing. The event takes place at the Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto, CA 94303. Admission is free.

September 15, 2012 4:00 p.m. The Avid Reader, Davis, CA

SILVER launch party! Come celebrate the release of my debut novel at the Avid Reader in Davis, CA. I will be joined by Katherine Longshore (GILT), Veronica Rossi (UNDER THE NEVER SKY) and Donna Cooner (SKINNY).

September 29, 2012 2:00 p.m.  Bay Books, San Ramon, CA

Appearing with Katherine Longshore (GILT), Corrine Jackson (IF I LIE) and Veronica Rossi (UNDER THE NEVER SKY).

October 12, 2012  2:00 p.m.  NCIBA Annual Conference

Signing finished copies of Silver at the Flux booth during the Northern California Independent Booksellers Annual Conference in South San Francisco. 

October 24-26 Charlotte, NC

YOUR BEST BOOK Workshop. I'll be on a panel with fellow YA Muses Katherine Longshore (GILT), Veronica Rossi (UNDER THE NEVER SKY) and Donna Cooner (SKINNY) and Bret Ballou, discussing revision and our journey to publication. We are also planning to do a local signing so stay tuned for details.


BLOG TOUR:

Stop by the SILVER blog tour hosted by the fabulous Jaime and Patricia at 2 Chicks on Books:

9/1/2012- YA Sisterhood- Blake Interview
9/2/2012- Page Turners Blog hosted by Sophie- Lightening Round Q&A
9/3/2012- The Review News- Review
9/4/2012- Two Chicks On Books- Dream Cast Post
9/5/2012- What The Cat Read- Silver Playlist
9/6/2012- I'm a Bookshark- Top Ten Scenes from Silver
9/7/2012- Debbie's World Of Books- Guest Post
9/8/2012- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads *****Release Day**** Scene from Blake’s POV
9/9/2012- The Ravenous Reader- Interview and Review
9/10/2012- Taters Tall Tales- Review
9/11/2012- Books Over Boys- Interview
9/12/2012- Jean Book Nerd- Interview
9/13/2012- Fiktshun- Celtic Myth Guest Post
9/14/2012- Literary Exploration- Interview